‘An offer you can refuse’: Municipal Activation from the Employers’ Perspective

The Nordic welfare states have a long history of local-level activation to combat unemployment. This study explored how employers perceive and experience the function of municipal activation and its participants. We carried out interviews with 277 Swedish employers. Most employers did not perceive municipal activation centers as a relevant collaboration, though they widely accepted the idea that activation is a constructive method to increase employability. Municipal activation centers are the principal actors behind activation, but many employers perceive themselves as bearing the greater proportion of risk and responsibility. Engaging in activation requires employer resources that rarely lead to subsequent hiring. In the recruitment of low-wage labor, applicants’ behavioral traits and motivation are what matter most to employers.